Tribe VI—DombeyacecB. Calyx usually with an involucel, 5-partite or rarely 5-lobed.
Petals 5, flat, rather large, unequal-sided, convolute in cestivation. Stamens some multiple of
the number of petals, in a single row, monadelphous, sometimes all fertile, but usually 5 of
them sterile and filiform or strap shaped. Styles 2, 3, 5, or 10, distinct, or united together.
Ovules 2, placed side by side, or several, in two rows in each cell of the ovarium. Embryo
straight, usually in the axis of a fleshy albumen. Cotyledons leafy, often bifid, crumpled or
flat.
To this tribe Pentapetes, Melhania, Pterospermum and Kydia belong. The two former
genera are for the most part composed of small herbaceous or suffruticose plants, the latter of
handsome flowering trees. They are all widely distributed over the Peninsula. Dombeua
which is a fine flowering shrub and a favourite in gardens, is a doubtful native of Southern India.
Tribe VII—Eriochlcenece Am. Wallichece D.C. Calyx 4 5 partite or lobed, with a 3-5
leaved involucel. Petals 4-5 flat. Stamens numerous in a multiple series, the outer ones
shorter, all united into one conical column as in Malvaceae: sterile filaments none, anthers
2-celled erect.—To this tribe one or perhaps two Indian genera belong. The one Microchlcena,
which is abundant on the slopes of both the Pulney and on the Shevaroy hills, is a small
stunted looking tree with rough cracked bark.
A f f in it ie s . A slight examination of the peculiarities of the preceding tribes will show
how difficult it must be to draw up any character suited to include the whole order without
introducing so many contradictions as to render such a one almost useless in practice, and yet,
it is generally easy to distinguish the members of the order. They are nearly allied to Mal-
vacece and Tiliacece, from the former of which they are separated by their 2-celled anthers,
and from the latter by their monadelphous stamens.
G eographical D ist r ibu t io n . This as already observed is mainly a tropical order, being
nearly confined to the tropics, but widely distributed over those regions of both the old and
new world. Of the tribes above enumerated, it may be mentioned, that Sterculiece are principally
of Indian and African origin; a small proportion only being found in America.
Roxburgh in his Flora Indica describes 12 species of Sterculia—Blume has seven from Java,
Wallich in his list of Indian plants increases the number to twenty-two for all India, while
Humboldt has not one from America, of the whole order, excluding Bombacece, Java has
according to Blume 22, the Indian peninsula 33, and Equinoctial America from Humboldt’s
collections 27. The DombeyacecB are all either Asiatic or African, but I believe predominate
in the former. Of Hermanniece, a small proportion only are fo.und in India, and a
considerably greater number in Africa, especially about the Cape. Those found in Senegal
are pronounced by the authors of the Flora Senegambise to be identical with the Indian ones.
Byttneriece are principally from South America and the West Indies, and there the most
important plant of the order, the Cacoa tree, is indigenous. Eriochlinece are few in number,
and with one or two exceptions of Indian origin. Supposing Helicterece and Bombacece tp
belong to this order, India can bp^st of but few of either tribe, while they are numerous in
America.
P ro p er t ie s Asm U se s . The plants of this order, in common with those of the whole of
the class Columniferce, abound in mucilage, and possess in a pre-eminent degree emollient properties.
One of the African species of Sterculia affords a gum, known as the gum Tragacanth
of Sierra Leone, whence called S. tragacantha by Dr. Lindley. The seeds of another species
«S’, acuminata, affords the kola of the Africans, which, when chewed, has the curious property
of making bad and half putrid water, that may be afterwards drank, taste sweet and agreeable.
The pod of Sterculia feetida, a common Indian tree, is, according to Horsfield, employed
in Java as a remedy against gonorrhoea, and an American species of Waltheria is used in Brazil
for similar purposes, for which it is fitted by its mucilaginous properties; the Indian species,
W. India, enjoying analogous properties might be rendered available here, for the same object,
if prepared as a diet drink. In Martinique, the mucilaginous bark of Guazuma ulmifolia, a
tree very common in India, is emplpyed to clarify sugar. It might along with some others
ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.
especially the fruit of Microchlcena, which is highly mucilaginous, be converted here to a similar
useful purpose, and affect a great saving in the process adopted in India for that object. The
inner bark of some species, which in all is very tough and pliable, is employed for making
cordage, that of Sterculia guttata, Microchlcena spectabilis, and Abroma augusta, are particularly
specified by Mr. Royle as being so employed, of the latter it is said, it “ abounds with
strong white fibres which make a good substitute for hemp, and as the plant succeeds well in
every part of India, grows quickly, and yields annually two, three, or even four, crops of cuttings
fit for peeling it is particularly recommended by Dr. Roxburgh for cultivation.” The seed of
several species of Sterculia are roasted and eat by the natives of this country ; but by far the
most important plant of the order, at least in a dietetic point of view, is the Cacoa tree. This
is a native of America, and has been introduced into India. Hitherto our attempts at culture
have not been very successful, but I saw several very thriving young trees at Courtallum, and
there is one at Palamcottah which annually bears a crop of fruit, and gives promise that it
might be increased. I attempted to take grafts from that tree, and also to propagate it by slips
and gooties, but failed in both attempts. It seems very desirable to extend the cultivation of
this tree in India, not only on account of the commercial advantages that might accrue from its
produce, but for the benefit we might ourselves derive from it. In the former point of view it
may be mentioned, that upwards of twenty million of pounds are annually consumed in Europe.
The elevated table-land of Mexico being the native country of the Cacoa, where it enjoys a cool
and humid climate, I presume the most probable tracts of country in India for commencing its
cultivation, on a considerable scale, would be the high and cool table-land of Mysore, in plantations
well sheltered, and still further kept cool and damp by being made in only partially cleared
forests. Wherever such localities are to be found, the Cacoa may be expected to thrive,
and might be introduced with effect and at little charge, On the Malabar coast too, where
forest lands abound, the humid and insular-like climate would, as in the West Indies where it is
very extensively cultivated, counteract the injurious effect of excessive heat, and render the chances
of success, fully equal to those of Mysore. The only drawback to its extended cultivation is
the slowness of its growth in the first instance, which however is well compensated for, by its
after duration and productiveness. The fresh virgin soil, the shade, and humid atmosphere, of
forests recently cleared of their brushwood only, are all dwelt upon by Humboldt as peculiarly
favourable for Cacoa plantations, and in such of course they ought to be tried in the first instance,
until we get the tree acclimated.
R emarks on G enera. The genus Sterculia, as mentioned above, has been completely broken
down, and no fewer than nine genera formed from the apparently heterogeneous materials
which were formerly combined under that name. The characters of these as given by Professor
Endlicher, will be given below, and figures of several published in the early numbers of
my leones. Heriteria is a genus nearly allied to Sterculia—of which one species is found
in Malabar, and another in Ava. Guazuma is said to have been introduced from
America, whether correctly may be difficult to ascertain, but whether or not it is certainly
very widely diffused over India now, and affords a proof, if introduced, that it has
found a most congenial climate, and holds out the prospect of equal success attending the
introduction of the Cacoa tree. The wood which is generally known under the English name
of bastard cedar, though a light and rather loose grained timber, is much employed in making
furniture. Ranking next this large umbragious tree is Byttneria, a humble herb, only found
in dry gravelly soil, usually seeking the support and shelter afforded by the few stunted
bushes growing in such situations. The Abroma I have never met with, but as above stated,
it merits being better known on account of the valuable purposes to which its bark may be
applied. Waltheria is a very common herbaceous plant, but of a most variable description, in
so far as external appearance goes, being sometimes glabrous, at others hairy, and at others
again covered with a thick coat of whitish down or shag, thus appearing as if there were
several species. This genus is remarkable in the order for having a one-seeded coccus.
Pentapetes another of the few herbaceous genera of this order are principally marsh plants.
P' Phoenicia, which is met with in marshy grounds all over India during the cool season, is also
found in the Tenaserim provinces, and I may here mention as an instance of how little
things common about our own doors, however beautiful, attract attention, that I once had spe